Actor Tab Hunter, star of 'Damn Yankees!' movie, dies at age 86

Tab Hunter, the blond teenage heartthrob in the 1950s who made his name with such films as "Battle Cry" and "Damn Yankees!", has died at age 86.

In 1955, Hunter was almost outed by the magazine Confidential when it highlighted his five-year-old arrest for disorderly conduct at a "pajama party" attended by a number of gay people.

Hunter had a 1957 hit record with the song "Young Love", which was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks (seven weeks on the UK Chart) and became one of the larger hits of the Rock "n" Roll era.

Tab Hunter in 2015. The film had originally been a Broadway show, but Hunter was the only one in the film version who had not appeared in the original cast.

It was Willson who gave him his stage name of "Tab Hunter" and he soon signed with Warner Bros., which is now owned by CNN's parent company AT&T.

Pakistan vs Australia T20I Tri-series final Match 6
No Pakistani player ranks among the top five in any of the Test cricket rankings. "If you are the No.1 side you have to stand up". Pakistan has the edge over Australia after they defeated Australia by 45 runs in the group match.

Playing a WWII soldier in 1955's "Battle Cry", adapted from the Leon Uris novel of the same name, made Hunter a star and he followed with roles in films including "The Burning" and "The Girl He Left Behind", both opposite a young Natalie Wood.

However, he was forced to disguise his sexual orientation and relationships with Anthony Perkins, star of Psycho, and figure skater Ronnie Robertson.

Hunter's most famous role was Joe Hardy in the 1958 Damn Yankees! movie. "The dilemma, of course, that was being true to myself - and I'm talking sexually now - was impossible in 1953".

"I believed, wholeheartedly - still do - that a person's happiness depends on being true to themselves", Hunter wrote. Glaser called the death "sudden and unexpected". The two next co-starred in 1985's Lust in the Dust, a western comedy film that also featured Lainie Kazan.

The pair also co-produced Dark Horse in 1992, about a young girl who, with her beloved horse, is injured and must find the courage to ride again; the film starred Hunter, Ed Begley Jr, Mimi Rogers and Natalie Wood's daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner. J.J. Abrams, Hunter's husband and producing partner Allan Glaser and Neil Koenigsberg are working on on a movie about the star for Paramount titled Hunter, with Zachary Quinto set to star.

Share this:

Hot News

4 more boys brought out of flooded Thai caveJul 10, 2018 - 02:22
A family member told CNN Monday that they hadn't been told which boys had been pulled out, and who is still trapped in the cave. Narongsak Osottanakorn, head of the rescue operation, said a team of divers went back into the cave Monday morning, local time.

Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty to Latest Sex-Crime ChargesJul 10, 2018 - 02:09
A couple of TV satellite trucks were parked across the street, and about three dozen members of the media filled the courtroom. The 66-year-old was brought into NY state Supreme Court wearing handcuffs, but he was uncuffed during proceedings.

Ant-Man and the Wasp Conquers the Weekend Box Office with $76MJul 10, 2018 - 01:47
And if you are among those who saw Ant-Man And The Wasp this weekend and loved it, we have a recommendation for you. This marks the tenth time this year a film based on a Marvel comic character has topped the weekend box office .

Prince Louis christening: Queen and Duke of Edinburgh to miss eventJul 09, 2018 - 15:32
Prince William and Kate Middleton have opted for friends, rather than immediate family members, as is custom for royal children. Kate Middleton, as patron of All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, could be set to miss her first Wimbledon in years.

Rohit ton, Pandya career-best give India T20I honoursJul 09, 2018 - 14:55
India lost two early wickets in the chase but a stand between Rohit and captain Virat Kohli steadied the ship for the side. England left Joe Root off their side to make room for Ben Stokes who had a month off with a hamstring injury.

Cormier and Miocic face off at ceremonial weigh-in ahead of UFC 226Jul 09, 2018 - 14:37
It all could have ended under the bright lights of the octagon, as he celebrated one of the truly all-time great accomplishments. Are we going to get Cormier v Lesnar? White had previously said Lesnar would be returning to the company later this year.

Tyler Honeycutt dies following gunfire exchange with policeJul 08, 2018 - 01:47
Starting his career at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Honeycutt was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 2011. "As they were communicating with the suspect he fired out of the residence and the officers returned fire", he said .

"Fortnite" Developer Epic Games Shutting Down Playground ModeJul 07, 2018 - 10:11
Although there's no fixed date for when Playgrounds will return, Epic has detailed a bunch of changes for the next version. In Fortnite Playground v2, Epic Games is hoping to give players the ability to choose teams, in groups of 1v1 or 2v2.